Chunky
14.03.2007, 17:18
It appears that discussions are taking place to see if standing at matches can return. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6444083.stm
I spent many a year standing behind cages on terraces at football matches and never once (fortunately) felt as though my life was in danger.
I enjoyed the atmosphere much more and it seemed that singing and supporting your team was much more vocal. Getting to sit at a match pre Taylor report was seen as a treat, but never did you get the same atmosphere.
Now of course seating is the norm, but I too would still rather stand.
I appreciate the reason for installing all seater stadiums post Hillsborough, something had to be done. Yet it was the football supporter who suffered (nothing compared to those who lost their lives). Atmosphere was lost, but worst of all it became more expensive.
New stadia had to be built, grounds had to install seating in some cases on 3 sides of the ground. Also the reduction in capacities caused by seating meant revenues were reduced. All this had to be paid for. By the supporter.
Yet going back to Hillsborough, the main reason for the disaster was the lack of proper training and communication between the police and stewards and the decision to open an exit gate and let too many fans into an already crowded area. If seating was in place, and under the pressure the police were, I feel they would have still opened the exit gate and let people into a crowded area.
I would love to see a return to terracing, on the proviso it is safely monitored.
From first hand experience, I know that stewrd training these days is very extensive and monitoring systems ie cctv are much more widely used and more effective.
Its strange you can have a football ground used for a pop concert and everyone can stand; you can stand on a train travelling through bends at over 100mph. The government deem these things as safe, but its not safe to stand at a football match.
So who would like to see the return of terraces?
I spent many a year standing behind cages on terraces at football matches and never once (fortunately) felt as though my life was in danger.
I enjoyed the atmosphere much more and it seemed that singing and supporting your team was much more vocal. Getting to sit at a match pre Taylor report was seen as a treat, but never did you get the same atmosphere.
Now of course seating is the norm, but I too would still rather stand.
I appreciate the reason for installing all seater stadiums post Hillsborough, something had to be done. Yet it was the football supporter who suffered (nothing compared to those who lost their lives). Atmosphere was lost, but worst of all it became more expensive.
New stadia had to be built, grounds had to install seating in some cases on 3 sides of the ground. Also the reduction in capacities caused by seating meant revenues were reduced. All this had to be paid for. By the supporter.
Yet going back to Hillsborough, the main reason for the disaster was the lack of proper training and communication between the police and stewards and the decision to open an exit gate and let too many fans into an already crowded area. If seating was in place, and under the pressure the police were, I feel they would have still opened the exit gate and let people into a crowded area.
I would love to see a return to terracing, on the proviso it is safely monitored.
From first hand experience, I know that stewrd training these days is very extensive and monitoring systems ie cctv are much more widely used and more effective.
Its strange you can have a football ground used for a pop concert and everyone can stand; you can stand on a train travelling through bends at over 100mph. The government deem these things as safe, but its not safe to stand at a football match.
So who would like to see the return of terraces?